Church Commissioners Appoints Bess Joffe Head of Responsible Investment

The Church Commissioners for England has appointed Bess Joffe the new head of responsible investment at the fund.

Starting this month, Joffe will report to chief investment officer Tom Joy and will help manage the $11.4 billion (£8.7 billion) fund in “an ethical and responsible way,” the fund said Tuesday. She will replace Edward Mason, the previous head of responsible investment, who left earlier this year.

“Real change is starting to be seen thanks to the efforts of responsible investors and I am pleased to be joining a proactive organization which recognizes the challenges facing our world,” Joffe said in a statement.

Joffe joins the Church Commissioners from Lloyds Banking Group, where she was the director of investor relations for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. She also previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Hermes Equity Ownership Services.

The Church Commissioners has a track record in the sustainable investment space. The investment team was included in the PRI Leaders’ Group, which showcases signatories at the forefront of responsible investment.

Other leadership changes recently have been made at the fund. Last August, chief executive Andrew Brown retired after 25 years with the plan. And last July, Mary-Pat Barron became the new head of public equities for the Anglican pension fund.